TODAY’S DECLARATION
I declare in Jesus’ name that I know the goodness of God. It is real in my life. Today I will give that goodness away. I will brag on my Heavenly Father and share His abundant love and joy with all I meet.
UNFINISHED WORKS OF ART
Did you know Leonardo Da Vinci never finished the Mona Lisa? Did you know he painted two of them? Do a Google search on the second Mona Lisa and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Unfortunately, I think our portrait of Jesus might look more like the Mona Lisa than anything else because we are not really sure if God actually smiles. It is absolutely evident to me and anybody with a third grade education that the church as a whole has not been totally convinced of God’s goodness. Because of that, the church has not been known for being life-giving.
Many throughout my life and ministry have told me they consider the church to be a lot of folks wearing frowns of disapproval. We’ve all seen them. Has your kid ever thrown a fit during church? Frowns. Have you even worn less than your Sunday best? Frowns. Struggled with an addiction, sickness or had a financial hardship? More frowns.
The church has been known for judging people who are not just like them for far too long. Let’s change that!
We need to paint pictures of God’s goodness through our goodness. The Bible tells us in Ephesians that we’re supposed to be imitators of Christ. It also tells us that God is love, so we should look like love! When we don’t, people like Billy Joel write songs about us that reflect poorly on God.
“I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints,
The sinners are much more fun. You know that only the good die young.”
God doesn’t laugh? He spends His time crying and being a killjoy? Who told Billy Joel that? We did.
As the church, we have a lot of work to do. We need to finish the painting of God’s goodness. It’s OK to put a smile on the face of Jesus because He really is good!
TODAY IS A GOOD DAY TO CHANGE THE WAY PEOPLE THINK ABOUT GOD AND THE CHURCH. PAINT A PORTRAIT OF HIS GOODNESS THROUGH YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS.
From my book: Good Overcomes Evil